Sunday November 20, 2016

Thanks to lax regulations in middle- and low-income countries, manufacturers can get away with selling zero-star cars that lack even the most common safety features. Apparently, airbags are only available if you opt for the luxury package in many locales.

Both are at the bottom of the line for price point. But there are crucial differences. The U.S. model has how many air bags and what other features? The Mexican model has no air bags, no antilock brakes or stability control to adjust tire speed and prevent skidding. In a crash test, Mexico's lowest-priced Nissan (left) collided with America's least expensive Nissan. The dummy's face hit the steering wheel in the Mexican model. Airbags in the American model softened the blow. On crash safety tests run by the nonprofit Latin New Car Assessment Program, the Versa gets four out of five stars. The Tsuru gets zero.